title: Intensity, chronicity, circumstances, and consequences of HIV-related fatigue: a longitudinal study.
abstract: HIV-related fatigue remains the most troubling complaint of seropositive people. Researchers often use tools to measure fatigue that were developed for other patient populations; thus, the measurement of fatigue specific to HIV is needed. This article describes results from the HIV-Related Fatigue Scale (HRFS) including: (a) the variability in intensity and chronicity of HIV-related fatigue, (b) the circumstances surrounding changes in fatigue, (c) the impact of fatigue on activities of daily living (ADLs), and (d) the consequences of HIV-related fatigue. We collected data every 3 months over a 3-year period from 128 people. HIV-related fatigue was chronic and did not appear to remit spontaneously; those who were the most fatigued at the beginning of the study remained the most fatigued over 3 years. Fatigue interfered more with instrumental activities of daily living than basic ADLs; it also interfered with work, family, and social life. Stress and depression increased fatigue.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA julie.barroso@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barroso
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Harmon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Jane Leserman
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Madison
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke Global Health Institute, and Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Brian Wells
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Pence
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: HIV; fatigue; measurement